By Shreya Dasgupta Longline fishing for tuna will remain closed in the Maldives, the island country’s president announced on Aug. 29. The decision came after local fishers, conservation NGOs and scientists protested against plans by the administration of President Mohamed Muizzu to reopen longline fisheries for yellowfin tuna and bigeye tuna. Longline fishing has been banned in the Maldives since 2019. “I am quite relieved by the decision and hope that the Government will uphold it,” Shaha Hashim, chairperson of conservation NGO Maldives Resilient Reefs, told Mongabay over a message. “This dec…